The Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge have shared a heartfelt message to their close friend Sam
Waley-Cohen after he won the Randox Grand National Handicap Chase on 9
April.
Sam won the historic horse
racing competition in his final race as he now plans to retire. “Huge
congratulations to @swaleycohen for winning the Grand National,” the royal
pair’s social media accounts tweeted. They added: “What a way to
retire!”
Kate and Sam, a dentist,
became pals as young adults through his brother Tom, her childhood friend
from Marlborough College, who died aged 20 from cancer.
She has kept in touch with his
family for years, even helping raise money for the foundation founded in his
name.
In 2008 Kate was
famously pictured falling over at a roller charity disco in aid of Tom’s Ward,
a unit at Oxford Children’s Hospital.
Sam was also credited with
reuniting Kate and William following their brief split in the years
after they finished university, as he reportedly threw the party, at which they
reportedly patched up their relationship with a heart to heart.
Sam, 39, is also a Cheltenham
Gold Cup-winning jockey and he confirmed his retirement two days before the
Grand National.
“I think that is my 40th
time riding here but Saturday will be my last ride as I’m going to retire, hopefully,
in the Grand National,” he told ITV Racing.
“I’ve had such an amazing
time, I’m 40 this year and I couldn’t have imagined the days that I’ve had. I’d
love to do it at Aintree, a course that has been so special to me, and I just
feel this is the right moment.”
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Sam and Kate in 2008
